-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rick Santorum evoked the homespun values of hard work , education and family in his speech to the Republican National Convention on Tuesday night , but his math needs improvement .

The former Pennsylvania senator and runner-up in this year 's GOP race criticized President Barack Obama during his convention speech for what he called a belief `` in government handouts and dependency . ''

In addition to repeating a debunked claim that Obama rolled back work requirements for welfare recipients , Santorum said that under the Obama administration , `` the dream of freedom and opportunity has become a nightmare of dependence , with almost half of America receiving some sort of government assistance . ''

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The facts :

-- As of June 2011 , 49 % of Americans received some sort of financial support from the government , according to the U.S. Census Bureau . So that figure has some basis in fact .

-- But the number includes more than just people receiving anti-poverty assistance . It also includes Social Security and Medicare , the federal pension and health care programs for seniors -- programs that are funded by workers ' payroll taxes and are n't typically associated with concerns about dependency . It also includes other benefits , such as worker 's compensation or educational assistance for veterans .

-- The number of people who qualify for `` means-tested '' benefits , which require applicants to have incomes below a certain level , was 35.1 % , according to the Census Bureau .

-- By comparison , when the already-slumping U.S. economy began to nosedive in September 2008 , about 24 % of U.S. households received means-tested benefits such as welfare or food stamps , according to Census Bureau figures . An April report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office report found that roughly one in seven Americans received food stamps -- now called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program -- compared with about one out of 11 in 2007 .

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The verdict :

Misleading . The `` nearly half '' Santorum cited includes most seniors who receive Medicare and Social Security benefits , while a large portion of the increase in poverty-assistance programs is a result of the lingering effects of the 2007-2009 recession .

Full coverage of the Republican National Convention

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CNN 's Matt Smith and Emily Smith contributed to this report .

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Rick Santorum : Half of America is getting government assistance

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Census Bureau : 49 % of Americans get some support

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Census number includes Social Security and Medicare